Tech

The AI Election: Is Artificial Intelligence Reshaping Democracy

Joan Westenberg

Sep 24, 2024 — 6 min read

Is AI the future of democracy, or the end of it? The 2024 elections are the battleground for a new kind of warfare—where artificial intelligence could decide who wins.

60+ nations. Half the world's population. One game-changing technology.

From Sri Lanka to Germany to the US, this year's global elections aren’t just about choosing leaders. They're the start of an era where artificial intelligence could make or break democracy.

Generative AI—ChatGPT, Claude, Copilot, and Meta's chatbots—are more than parlor tricks. For all the hype, for all the breathless promises, these LLMs, chatbots and tools are powerful catalysts, and they’re poised to transform popular governance.

The stakes?

Nothing less than the future of free and fair voting worldwide.

In the words of UN Secretary-General António Guterres,

"The advent of generative AI could be a defining moment for disinformation and hate speech—undermining truth, facts, and safety, adding a new dimension to the manipulation of human behavior and contributing to polarization and instability on a vast scale."

The Promise of Digital Democracy

Let’s start with the tech optimist POV. At its best, AI provides tools that could significantly improve the efficiency and integrity of elections:

Automated data management systems for accurate collection, storage, and analysis of electoral data.
AI-powered chatbots providing 24/7 support to voters, answering questions and clarifying confusion.
Advanced security algorithms to detect anomalies and protect electoral systems against cyber threats.

Daniel Innerarity notes in "Artificial Intelligence and Democracy" that AI has the potential to engage voters on an unprecedented individual level. Campaign strategists could use real-time insights from millions of social media comments to tailor their messages precisely to each voter's concerns.

There’s something in that. We’ve seen recent studies that suggest talking to debunking chatbots is actually a more effective way of de-radicalising people than any level of one to one personal engagement.

But there’s a dark side, too.

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